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How do I grow in my career? That’s a question I often hear asked in different ways. Even though the answer depends on your unique situation, there is a common thread, and it lies in your habits. In the classic book, The Coaching Habit, Michael Bungay Stanier says to “build an effective new habit, you need five essential components: a reason, a trigger, a micro-habit, effective practice, and a plan.”

What’s your reason behind getting to the next level in your career? Perhaps you’re bored in your role, you’ve hit a professional plateau and you want to feel challenged. Regularly setting new personal and professional goals for ourselves helps us add greater value to others, increases our confidence and chances of getting a promotion and even improves our health from the satisfaction of meaningful work. If we don't have solid habits in place, then setting goals may end up being useless because our habits determine the majority of our behavior.

Respecting your sleep

Tasks at work appear more difficult when we’re groggy. A healthy sleep schedule helps us function optimally. Sleep is responsible for recharging our brain and memory, safeguarding us against sickness and diseases, regulating hormones and replenishing our energy. It’s often the thing that gets traded when we’re busy seen as it’s designed to take up the same number of hours we spend at work: 7- 9 hours a day. If you don’t currently have a good relationship with your sleep routine, then start small and work your way up. The important thing is that you start.

Decluttering emotionally

Holding on to anger, fear or sadness are sources of depletion. Career development is part strategy and part mindset. I know it’s hard to declutter emotionally, but having someone assist you with the process helps as emotional intelligence has been linked to career success.

We tend to have a bias towards negativity, don't we? Being negative drains our energy. Training our brain for positivity means learning to interpret the situation without bias. Although things may not be as you wish now, they will change. Practice gratitude even when you’re bored or burnt out at work and pay attention to the little things that make your day happy to keep you going. In a previous article, I shared some research showing how gratitude and appreciation can help reserve employee burnout. Even if you’re not currently dealing with career burnout, helping others manage burnout and stress is a skill you’ll need in any stage of your career as a leader.

Listening well

At the 2008 World Economic Forum, Bill Gates said, “there are two great forces of human nature: self -interest and caring for others, and people are successful when they are driven by a “hybrid engine” of the two.” When you listen you show that you care. Billion dollar brands are masters at listening. We can’t innovate and get to the next level in our careers if we’re busy talking. When you’re a good listener, you understand what’s required of you better and are more likely to be productive. Whether you’re making a career change or wanting to find a new job, listen to the needs of the employer and the needs of the industry. Find someone that can help you listen to yourself too. The art of true listening is rare!

Letting go of perfectionism

Perfectionism can be draining if you’re relying on your own strength. Because as humans, we’re not perfect. Instead of doing tasks efficiently at work, you may find yourself wasting time trying to perfect things that can be put to bed. I know this has been the case for myself as a recovering perfectionist. Spending time perfecting a task can also lead to procrastination instead of moving on with the next step. Focus instead on the things you can control and the things you can accomplish. Don’t waste your time nor energy worrying about perfection.

Learning how to be courageous

Martin Seligman, a pioneer in positive psychology, believes that courage is defined as “the will to accomplish goals in the face of internal or external opposition.” As you’re thinking about how to get to the next level in your career, take stock on your fears and the steps you can take to overcome them and be encouraged by the fact that your courage has ripple effects. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that even if you aren’t correct when you speak up, you will cause others to think more deeply.

Being Resourceful

Jeff Bezos made the Forbes list as the world’s richest man this year. Bezos highly values resourcefulness, according to Business Insider. He said, "I’d much rather have a kid with nine fingers than a resourceless kid." He also noted his wife's resourceful characteristics when choosing to marry her. Without being resourceful, you’ll find it harder to accomplish great things and get to the next level in your career.

Does your 2019 career development strategy include any of these habits?

I’m a career coach who fell in love with the coaching industry at age 23 after working in Japan and South Korea. Since then, I’ve worked one-on-one in the UK and US with

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I’m a career coach who fell in love with the coaching industry at age 23 after working in Japan and South Korea. Since then, I’ve worked one-on-one in the UK and US with hundreds of individuals at Fortune 500 companies. My work draws on a graduate degree in career guidance and an award-winning corporate career as a career change coach. Troubled by our growing burnout epidemic and my sleep deprivation as a new mom, I created holistic career coaching experiences for high achievers. On the corporate side, I work with corporations, organizations and research firms to ensure they’re making the workplace a place of holistic career growth through consulting, coaching and speaking. Learn more and get in touch at www.rachelmontanez.com.